And the environmental position of the European Parliament COMAGRI just got even worse

Posted on 24 January 2013

Since 2007, the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme has been working intensively on eutrophication issues, with a particular focus on agriculture’s impacts on the Baltic Sea. WWF is committed to reducing the threat of eutrophication to the Baltic Ecosystem and is therefore working to dramatically reduce the inputs of both phosphorus and nitrogen to the sea with a specific focus on promoting the application of environmentally friendly farming practices in order to reduce nutrient runoff to the Baltic Sea.

(Brussels, 24 January 2013) The European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) held a second day of votes where it continued its attack on environmental measures that could help address problems like water quality, pollution and the overuse of pesticides etc. Also in the firing line were longstanding measures which protect human health such as the reintroduction of hormones in food production. By taking these measures out of cross-compliance they no-longer become necessary prerequisites for the receiving the Single Farm Payment.

These positions adopted by COMAGRI may end up being endorsed by a plenary vote. WWF calls on Members of the European Parliament to reject COMAGRI’s position in the plenary vote and instead support a true greening of agricultural policy.

Quotes Tony Long, Director WWF European Policy Office

“By deleting all references to the most important measures including existing EU laws such as the Water Framework Directive, the sustainable use of pesticides and the protection of ground water, as well as opening up the whole sector to hormone use, COMAGRI has shown that it has little regard for the environment or the European consumer. The Committee has shown that it does not want any meaningful greening; rather it wants a farming sector that is under-regulated and where it pays to pollute.”

“These deletions were broadly supported by MEPs from Centre Right political groupings, many of whom blatantly have a conflict of interest as they have strong links to the farming sector. The European Parliament is in danger of discrediting itself if it stands by and lets individual MEPs who receive CAP subsidies effectively set the new rules. No other Parliamentary committee would tolerate this .”

Since 2007, the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme has been working intensively on eutrophication issues, with a particular focus on agriculture’s impacts on the Baltic Sea. WWF is committed to reducing the threat of eutrophication to the Baltic Ecosystem and is therefore working to dramatically reduce the inputs of both phosphorus and nitrogen to the sea with a specific focus on promoting the application of environmentally friendly farming practices in order to reduce nutrient runoff to the Baltic Sea.